Interwoven plastic and fabric threads

ABSTRACT

A fabric sheet with interwoven plastic strips is provided. The fabric sheet includes a plurality of weft threads and a plurality of warp threads interwoven together. One of the weft threads and the warp threads includes a fabric material and the other of the weft threads and the warp threads includes a plastic material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to fabric material and, more particularly,to interwoven plastic and fabric threads.

Plastic is a material consisting of any of a wide range of synthetic orsemi-synthetic organics that are malleable and can be molded into solidobjects of diverse shapes. Plastic shopping bags, carrier bags, orplastic grocery bags are a type of shopping made from various kinds ofplastic. In use by consumers worldwide since the 1960s, these bags aresometimes called single-use bags, referring to carrying items from astore to a home. In recent decades, numerous countries have introducedlegislation restricting the sale of plastic bags, in a bid to reducelittering and pollution. Plastic bags are harmful to the environment.Plastic bags are either thrown into landfills or, when applicable, arerecycled by means of rendering into pellets and melted for reuse.Melting of plastic releases toxins into the air and plastic do not breakdown in landfills.

As can be seen, there is a need for a environmental friendly methods ofrecycling plastic.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, an interwoven materialcomprises: a plurality of weft threads; and a plurality of warp threads,wherein the warp threads are interwoven with the weft threads, and oneof the weft threads and the warp threads is a fabric material and theother of the weft threads and the warp threads is a plastic material.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method of making a fabricsheet comprises: cutting a plurality of strips of plastic; weaving theplurality of strips of plastic with a fabric material to form aninterwoven material; washing and drying the interwoven material; andheat pressing the interwoven material up to a temperature of 185 degreesFahrenheit.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1A is a detail perspective view indicated by line 1A-1A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternate form of an embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention;and

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

The present invention includes fabric woven with traditional materialsand high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE)plastic bags. The fabric thread and HDPE or LDPE plastic strips arewoven together to create a sheet of fabric. The fabric thread is loadedas the “warp” (vertical) thread in a loom. A plurality of plastic stripsis the “weft” (horizontal) threads, and combined, create the fabric. Thepresent invention reduces plastic in landfills and the oceans. Further,the present invention is environmentally friendly by reducing emissionsof melted plastic or the need for more resources to produce plastic. Thefollowing detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

The present invention includes fabric woven with traditional materialsand high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE)plastic bags. The fabric thread and HDPE or LDPE plastic strips arewoven together to create a sheet of fabric. The fabric thread is loadedas the “warp” (vertical) thread in a loom. A plurality of plastic stripsis the “weft” (horizontal) threads, and combined, create the fabric. Thepresent invention reduces plastic in landfills and the oceans. Further,the present invention is environmentally friendly by reducing emissionsof melted plastic or the need for more resources to produce plastic.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 6, the present invention includes aninterwoven material 10 forming a fabric sheet 12. The fabric sheet 12includes a plurality of weft threads 16 and a plurality of warp threads14 interwoven together. One of the weft threads 16 and the warp threads14 includes a fabric material and the other of the weft threads 16 andthe warp threads 14 includes a plastic material. For example, the weftthreads 16 may be the plastic material and the warp threads 14 may bethe fabric material.

In certain embodiments, the fabric material may include a syntheticfabric and a natural fabric. For example, the fabric material may bepolyester, cotton, and the like. The plastic material may be ahigh-density polyethylene, a low-density polyethylene or a combinationthereof.

A method of making the present invention may include the following. Theplastic bags 20 are washed and dried eliminating dirt and debris. Bags22 are cut into thin strips. The size of the strips depends on thecoarseness of the desired fabric. The plastic strips are then woventogether with the fabric thread from a spool 30 at regular intervals toallow for an even blend. A loom may be used to weave the fabric andplastic strips together. The resulting sheet is washed and dried forshrinkage and then pressed between rollers 32 at a temperature less than185 degrees Fahrenheit. The fabric sheet 12 may be rolled 18 forstorage. The fabric sheet 12 may then be cut and sewn.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An interwoven material comprising: a plurality ofweft threads; and a plurality of warp threads, wherein the warp threadsare interwoven with the weft threads, and one of the weft threads andthe warp threads is a fabric material and the other of the weft threadsand the warp threads is a plastic material.
 2. The interwoven materialof claim 1, wherein the weft threads is the plastic material and thewarp threads is the fabric material.
 3. The interwoven material of claim1, wherein the fabric material is at least one of a synthetic fabric anda natural fabric.
 4. The interwoven material of claim 1, wherein theplastic is at least one of a high-density polyethylene and a low-densitypolyethylene.
 5. The interwoven material of claim 1, wherein the fabricmaterial is at least one of polyester and cotton.
 6. A method of makinga fabric sheet comprising: cutting a plurality of strips of plastic;weaving the plurality of strips of plastic with a fabric material toform an interwoven material; washing and drying the interwoven material;and heat pressing the interwoven material up to a temperature of 185degrees Fahrenheit.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the fabricmaterial is at least one of a synthetic fabric and a natural fabric. 8.The method of claim 6, wherein the fabric material is at least one ofpolyester and cotton.
 9. The method of claim 6, wherein the plastic isat least one of a high-density polyethylene and a low-densitypolyethylene.